Geared pump head for water wells



April 6, 1954 A. J. RICHARDSON GEARED PUMP HEAD FOR WATER WELLS w 7 a m/a Z Z 7.

18 AuozEw d. Elm/A2050 INVENTOR. BY ffl A 7' TOZNEY Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEARED PUMP HEAD FOR WATER WELLS AndrewJ. Richardson, Lubbock, Tex.

Application June 1, 1951, Serial No. 229,385

This invention relates to pumping equipment for water wells, and it hasparticular reference to pump heads for turbine type water pumps, and itsprincipal object resides in the provision of a gear head which is formedwith a water passage capable of being concentrically connected to a wellcasing and an outlet or discharge pipe, and providing for an adjacentgear chamber for driving the pump to be cooled by water flowing throughthe flow passage.

Another object of the invention is that of providing a pump head whichis compact in form and economical in operation and installation,affording a mechanism by which a greater volume of water can be producedat lesser costs, and by which much lighter materials can be employed inthe production of the device insuring greater economy in manufacturewithout sacrificing durability and longevity.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of apump head which can be readily connected to a well casing and has meansformed therewith adapting the same to be attached to a discharge conduitfor a flow line, or

to an overhead storage, and providing for the removable installation ofa rotary or turbine type pump in the casing at any desired level, andthus avoid the necessity for a fluid column to be maintained in thewell.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a gear head for rotarytype water pumps in which is defined a gear chamber for operating gearsfor the rotary pump in which the gears can operate in an oil bath andwater cooled by the well liquids flowing in close proximity "thereto,and further, to aiTord a means for readily changing the ratio betweenthe driving and driven gears whereby prime movers of different R. P. M.can be employed without varying the R. P. M. of the pump shaft.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the provision of a simplifiedgeared-head for rotary type water pumps whereby water from a cased wellcan be economically produced in suitable volume,

- and whereby the maintenance and operating costs can be substantiallyminimized.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects willbecome manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection withthe appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention illustrating thearcuate flow passage in the head, the gear chamber, the pump unitremovably supported in the well casing, and the pump shaft.

4 Claims. (01. 103-83) Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, on lines2--2 of Figure 1, showing the centering spiders for the pump shaft.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of an eccentric bearing plate for thedrive shaft for the gear assembly.

Figure 4 is an elevational view ofa concentric bearing plate, and

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the pump supporting deviceincluding the composition seating ring, the casing being fragmentarilyshown in vertical section.

A prime object of the invention is that of providing a gear head foroperating the turbine pump which is connected directly to and forming apart of the discharge elbow which directs the fiow of water from thevertical to horizontal, and eliminates the necessity for separatehousing and extra lubricating devices, packing glands, and the like. Byarranging the gear chamber is close proximity to the flow passage it isnot necessary to provide any of the conventional types of coolingsystems. Moreover, the device can be made more sturdy since itsconstruction eliminates the necessity for a high foundation for thepower unit.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a housing I0 which is formed withan arcuate water passage I I therein which is actually a 90 degree turn.The lower end of the housing ID has an annular flange l2 thereon forconnecting the same to the top of a well casing I3 by bolts I4, or otherdevice. The opposite end of the portion of the housing forming thepassage II also has an annular flange I5 by which the housing I0 isconnected to a discharge conduit I6 by bolts [1, or the like.

The housing I0 is formed in one casting, and on the crown of the arcuateportion thereof is defined a gear chamber I8 which is separated from thepassage l I by a partition or inner wall IS in which is provided anintegral body 20 having a vertical bore 2| therethrough concentricallyof the flanged lower end of the housing III.

' Above the body 20 is a circular opening 22 in the top 23 of thehousing I 0 and this opening is closed by a dome-shaped cap 24 whoseperipheral flange is secured to the top 23 of the housing Ill by bolts25. Interiorly of the cap 24 and centrally thereof is a boss 26 whichprovides a bearing for the upper end of a shaft 21 whose function willpresently become manifest.

through the bore 2] and depending through the vertical leg of thehousing into the well easing iii. The upper end of the tube 29 isthreaded interiorly and exteriorly and a flanged nut 30 is threaded onthe end of the tube 29 within the cavity 28 against a packing gland 3|which embraces the shaft 21 which is arranged concentrically of the tube29, a sleeve 32 being threaded internally of the upper end of the tube23 to support the packing gland 3| beneath. The tube 29 is firmlysecured in the bore 2| by a pair of nuts 33 threaded upon the tube 29against the bottom of the body 20.

An annular recess 34 is formed in the top of the body 20 about thecavity 28 to receive a hearing race 35 for the bearing 36 arranged aboutthe shaft 21 beneath a bevelled gear 3'! thereon. Opposite the bearing35, above the gear 31 is a pair of nuts 38 which are threaded upon theupper end of the shaft 21, the extreme upper end 39 being of reduceddiameter .to provide a spindle which is seated in the bearing 25, aspreviously described. A port 40 in the body 20 provides a communicationbetween the gear chamber 18 and the cavity 23 whereby a lubricant, withwhich the chamber I8 is filled, can migrate into the cavity 28 tolubricate packing gland 3| about the shaft 21.

The shaft 21 may be of any desired length suitable for the properoperation of the pump unit M supported in the casing l3, and bearings 42are spaced therealong within the tube 29 to concentrically support theshaft 27 therein. The pump unit M is supported in the casing is byeither of the methods shown in Figures 1 and 5 and, as will becomeapparent from these illustrations it is removable from the well at willby pulling the shaft 21 and the tubing 29. This can be accomplishedafter the housing it has been disconnected from the casing I3.

The pump unit H is supported in the well casing it upon an annularbevelled seat 43 formed on a ring 44 of metal, or of some yieldablematerial, such as rubber or neoprene, which is secured at the properdepth between sections of the well casing 43 which are joined by acollar 85. When the ring 44 is of metal the joints can be welded, thering 34 being welded to the sections. An annular plate #35 having aflared flange 45 thereon, is secured to the top or bottom of the pumpunit 41 by bolts 47 to support the unit on the ring 44, the flaredflange 46 of the ring being conformable to the bevelled seating surfacethereof, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.

A suction pipe lit depends from the pump unit 4! into the casing i3 andshould be of such length as to extend into the water column thereinwhereby to flow the liquid into the upper casing above the seal providedaround the seating ring 44. In this manner friction losses in moving thewater to the surface are considerably minimized.

The bevelled gear 31 on the shaft 21 is meshed with a driving gear 39fixed to the inner end of a drive shaft 50 of a power unit (not shown).The shaft 59 is journalled in a bearing 5| arranged in an annular recess52 formed in a circular plate 53 on the outside of which is formed anintegral sleeve 54 having a packing gland 55 and a follower 56 thereinabout the shaft 50 to provide a stuiiing box therefor. The plate 53 issecured about its periphery to the housing It by bolts 51 and covers acircular opening 58 in the housing H).

The plate 53, shown in Figure 1, has the sleeve 54 thereon eccentricallysituated, as illustrated in greater detail in Figure 3, and for thepurpose of affording driving gears of different diameters so that theratios can be varied according to the R. P. M. of the power unit. Figure4 illustrates a plate 59, whose stufiing box is concentrically located,which is interchangeable with the plate 53 and can be secured by thebolts 5'1.

The pump shaft 21, which operates concentrically-of the tube 29,maintained centrally of the casing is by spider members 60 which haveradial arms 6!, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and these members aresecured on the tube 29 by threading or by welding, as desired, and serveto guide the pump unit 4! to its seat on the ring or upwardly throughthe well casing I3 when it is necessary to remove the pump unit or itsdrive shaftZ'I.

The arms 6! of the members 60 are preferably of a somewhat yieldablecharacter, such as malleable iron, so that these members will bend whenirregularities occur in the casing wall as the assembly is moved throughthe casing it. It will be noted that each of the arms 65 has weakenedportions 62 formed thereon so as to permit the arms to bend slightlywhen necessary.

It is contemplated that the gear chamber l8 be filled with a lubricantand thus the gears 31' and 49 are immersed in oil. The packing glands 3iand 55 are therefore quite necessary to seal the lubricant within thechamber [3 and the space about the shaft 2'1 within the cavity 28 fed bythe port 40. A grease fitting 83 is threaded into the dome-shaped cap 24and a small port 64 admits a lubricant therefrom to the upper end of theshaft 21'.

Manifestly, the structure herein shownv and described is capable ofcertain changes and modifications from time to time, by persons skilledin the art, without departing from the spirit and intent of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a geared head for a turbine water pump, in combination, a wellcasing having a rotary turbine pump supported therein, a housing formedwith an arcuate water passage therethrough and having means formedtherewith for connecting the same to said casing and to a dischargeconduit having its axis at right angles to the axis of said casing, thesaid water passage having its axis concentric with the axis ofsaid'casing and the axis of said conduit, a gear chamber forming anintegral part of the arcuate upper wall of said water passage, a rotarypump shaft connecting said rotary turbine pump with said gear chamberthrough saidcasing, a tubular casing surrounding said shaft, a drivengear on said shaft, and a driving gear meshed with said driven gear insaid gear chamber for driving said shaft.

2. In a pump head for a turbine type of water pump, in combination, aWell casing having a rotary pump removably supported therein, adischarge pipe arranged at right angles to the axis of said casing, ahousing having an arcuate water passage formed therein providing anuninterrupted axial communication between said casin and said dischargepipe, the said housing having a gear chamber formed therein above andadjacent to said passage, th inner wall of said chamber conforming tothe contour of said passage, a driven shaft arranged in said gearchamber and extending concentrically downwardly through said inner walland a portion of said passage and said casing to said pump, a tubularcasing surrounding said shaft, a driven bevel gear on said shaft in saidchamber, and a driving bevel gear in said chamber meshed with saiddriven gear.

3. In a pumping apparatus for a Water well, in combination, a wellcasing and a discharge conduit in right angular arrangement with respectto the axis of said casing, a rotary pump in said casing having a drivenshaft arranged concentrically of said casing, a housing attached to thetop of said casing and formed with a gear chamber and a curved Waterpassage therein, the latter providing a substantially unobstructed axialcommunication between said well casing and said discharge conduit, theinner wall of said gear chamber defining an outer wall of said passage,a gear assembly enclosed in said gear chamber above said water passageand externally thereof for driving said shaft, the said gear assemblycomprising a driven gear on said driven shaft and a driving gear meshedwith said driven gear, and a tubular casing enclosing said shaft in saidwell casing.

4:. In a pumping head for turbine type water pumps in a water well, incombination, a well casing in said well and a discharge conduit at 6.right angles to said casing, and a pump in said casing, a housingadapted for attachment to said well casing, the said housing having anarcuate Water passage therethrough providing an axial communicationbetween said casing and said discharge conduit in right angulararrangement, an integral portion of said housing defining a gear chamberabove said water passage, a pump shaft in said chamber dependingconcentrically through a portion of said passage into said casing tosaid pump therein, a cylindrical housing for said shaft, a driven gearfor said shaft on its upper end in said chamber, and a driving gear insaid chamber arranged at right angles to said driven gear and in meshtherewith and having a shaft extending exteriorly of said chamber.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 63 ,475 Northam Sept. 19, 1899 1,291,407 Chapman Jan. 14, 19191,317,096 Palmer et a1 Sept. 23, 1919 ,320,736 Chapman Nov. 4, 19191,915,845 Ames June 2'7, 1933

